


Between the Breath of the Storms: The Distant Thunder

by sugarcomatosed, Treekianthia



Category: Fire Emblem: Fuukasetsugetsu | Fire Emblem: Three Houses
Genre: Angst, Canonical Character Death, Ch17 to be specific, Extended Scene, F/M, Grief/Mourning, Hurt/Comfort, Spoilers for Post-Timeskip | War Phase (Fire Emblem: Three Houses), Verdant Wind route
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-09-27
Updated: 2019-09-27
Packaged: 2020-10-29 00:22:35
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,176
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20787503
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sugarcomatosed/pseuds/sugarcomatosed, https://archiveofourown.org/users/Treekianthia/pseuds/Treekianthia
Summary: It was after the battle at Gronder that Claude saw Hilda cry for the second time. (Paired with “Between the Breath of the Storms: The Calming Rain)





	Between the Breath of the Storms: The Distant Thunder

When they had won five years prior at The Battle of the Eagle and Lion, the Golden Deer house had a feast to celebrate. They’d laughed and talked for hours, Hilda had teased him for falling asleep after eating too much, and their Professor had offered them one of her rare sweet smiles.

He didn’t know what they would do when they returned from Gronder Field today, but Claude knew it wouldn’t be a feast.

They would do something to acknowledge that they had lived to fight another day, but a feast wasn’t just out of the question with their supply levels…it would be grossly insensitive to the loss of life they’d seen here today.

When Edelgard…when the Adrestian Emperor retreated with her remaining soldiers, Claude had felt a weight roll off his shoulders he’d been pretending not to feel. This battle was done. The result was the same as the last time, but there was no shaking hands with his rival house leaders, there was no laughter and conversation; just silence broken only by the noise of the burning hills and their own soldiers breathing a sigh of relief.

Byleth stood on her tiptoes, casting her eyes across the field, and Claude could see his former professor was doing a head count of her former students. He followed her gaze, counting with her to ease his own mind.

Leonie was still mounted on her horse, so she was easy to spot. She seemed to be doing the same thing as Byleth. She waved when she noticed the pair looking her way. She cupped her hands over her mouth, and said something.

“…okay!” Her voice carried barely over the field.

We’re okay.

Lorenz was leaning against her horse’s flank; a little worse for wear but alive. Marianne and Raphael were with them as well; Marianne looking over Lorenz’s wounds and Raphael was looking over Marianne. 

Four accounted for. They continued searching. Igantz was sitting down but smiled when they noticed him. Flayn bounced up and down, waving her staff above her head with one hand, while clutching her skirts with the other. She was clearly relieved to see them. Claude didn’t remember sending her off with Ignatz after they’d secured the middle of the field, but at least she was safe.

That made six.

That left…

Claude’s grip tightened on his wyvern’s reigns. He climbed back aboard his trusted companion’s back.

“I’m going up, I’ll get a better view.” He told Byleth. “I won’t feel better till I’ve seen everyone.”

One in particular if he was being honest.

The professor nodded, Claude had the feeling she could see right through him. “I’ll meet you towards the center. We’ll regroup.” She sheathed the Sword of the Creator. “Be careful. There could be stragglers still.”

“I was about to say the same to you, Teach.”

And with a rush of wings, he was aloft. Most of their flying troops had already descended. The Immortal Corps was off scouting after the retreating Adrestian Empire. As they were his personal battalion, they were some of the most skilled fliers in their army and the most trusted. Their inky shapes were still visible on the horizon, but besides Claude it didn’t seem as if anyone else was airborne. He started scanning the ground and the moving soldiers for any sight of a familiar face. 

Until he saw Hilda, he couldn’t relax.

There was no way something had happened to her in the battle…right? They’d split up when Claude and Byleth had gone after Edelgard. Hilda had engaged with the Kingdom soldiers. She couldn’t be…

“Claude!” Cyril’s voice rang out. Seven accounted for. Claude pulled back on the reigns and turned in the saddle. He felt his stomach drop. Cyril wasn’t alone on his wyvern. Lysithia’s petite frame was slumped against him. Cyril had one arm around the girl’s waist to steady her. She wasn’t moving, her eyes were shut-

“She passed out.” Cyril explained. “She’s not dead.” As if this was normal, and he and Claude regularly had midair conversations about Lysithia being dead. “We were fighting one of the Crestone Monsters. Well, Lysithia took it out basically by herself but… she collapsed after. “

“…airlifting her to a Bishop then?” Claude guessed.

Cyril nodded. “We were a bit off from everyone, and I thought with all the fire still around it might take some time for someone to get to us. You checking on everyone?” Cyril asked. “Lot of the others are in the middle still. I’d be careful though. You can feel it, right?”

Claude nodded. “Yeah, a storm’s coming in. You should get her back on the ground before it hits. I’m going to stay up a bit longer.”

Cyril frowned. “That’s risky isn’t it? It looks like it’s going to be a bad one.”

“And that’s why I want you two back on the ground.” Claude replied. “I think any one with white magic could help. She’s just fatigued.”

Cyril nodded, tightening his hold on Lysithia to prepare for the descent. He paused for a moment. “…If you’re looking for Hilda, I saw her.” He pointed. “It was before the battle was over, but she looked fine then. Her make up was smudging, so she’s probably mad about that.” 

With the slow flap of wings, Cyril’s wyvern started their descent. 

“That makes eight.” Claude murmured. “Nine if I count myself.”

Five left. Four if Cyril was right. It was enough to get him to at least breathe for a moment. The clouds were starting roll in thicker now and he could smell the storm. His wyvern made a small growl. She could sense it too. He scratched her head. “Easy, girl. We’ll go down in a minute. Let’s do one more lap.”

They glided in a circle, going slowly down. Injured and dead alike littered the ground. What a waste of life. As he got closer to the ground he was able to make out a few more faces. Dorthea nudged Ingrid, who looked up in time to see Claude circling.

Ten, Eleven. Both women looked a bit pale in the face, Dorthea more so. Ingrid looked more…pensive. Dorthea had one arm linked into Ingrid’s, they seemed to be comforting each other. Ingrid must have landed when the storm started brewing. Sylvain and Felix joined them. Felix was nursing a bloody nose and a sour expression. Sylvain was still on horseback and clutching the Lance of Ruin. Exhausted and emotionally spent, but they were alive.

Twelve, Thirteen…that just left Hilda. That would leave all the former students accounted for. The wind was picking up, so Claude urged his wyvern on and they headed to the meeting point. 

It was only when he returned to the ground he fully realized how terribly Gronder stank of blood and death. When he’d been speaking with Cyril he’d only smelled the scent of rain being carried in on the wind. It always smelled of blood after a battle, but never this badly. But then again, most conflicts were one versus one. This had been a three-way siege.

Claude dismounted his wyvern and glanced back towards where he’d left Byleth. He could see her bright green hair clearly, and by her side was…Hilda. 

“…Fourteen.” They were all accounted for.  
He rested his head briefly against his wyvern. “That’s a relief.” The creature snorted and bumped her head against Claude’s. He chuckled. “Thanks girl. You did a good job today.”

Byleth joined him. Hilda stood silently, staring off to the east. Something was odd about that. Her hair was messy from battle, and like Cyril said her makeup was smudged from sweat. She’d never looked better in his opinion. She was alive and accounted for. Byleth began talking and Claude switched his focus.

“I spoke with Seteth and Judith on my way over. He confirmed with me that all the Knights of Seiros are alive, Catherine’s a bit dinged up but she’ll be fine. She’s already being tended to by Manuela. Have you seen the others?”

“Then we’re all accounted for. I saw them when I was flying. We’re lucky to have sustained only injuries to our commanders…still, the battlefield looks awful.”

Byleth nodded in quiet agreement, they’d definitely lost their fair share of troops, and victory hadn’t come easily.

“I wonder what became of the Kingdom army. And Dimitri...” He trailed off. Perhaps Ingrid had seen where he’d gone. He felt more comfortable asking her than Sylvain or Felix.

“I saw him.”

Byleth and Claude both turned in surprise. Hilda had been uncharacteristically silent till now. Claude furrowed his brow.

“Who, Dimitri?” He asked.

“…he was completely different from how I remember him. He looked like a crazed demon when he was fighting.” Hilda didn’t meet his eyes. That made him uneasy. “He pursued Edelgard as she retreated, but he didn’t get far before he collapsed.”

When he’d last seen Dimitri it had been…when he’d shouted at him for not listening. Dimtiri’s face had been contorted into a snarl. After that Claude had gone after Edelgard, leaving the flank to Hilda and the others. 

“I saw him surrounded by Imperial troops and…” Hilda hesitated. As if she couldn’t bring herself to say what happened next. “…pierced by their spears. I’ll never forget it.”

“He deserved a better end.” Hilda murmured. Byleth closed her eyes.

“Dimitri….” Claude sighed. So he was gone. They’d thought him to be dead for five years…but knowing it was true this time was….worse. Much worse. “He went through so much to make it here, only for his efforts to be in vain.” 

Hilda bit her lip. “I can’t even begin to understand what Dimitri must have been feeling, but…there must have been some other way. Why did he have to go like that?” She looked to Byleth for an answer.

Byleth only shook her head sadly.

Hilda’s shoulders sank. The person who always had the right answer had nothing to say. They were all silent again.

“…and his vassal, Dedue…did he fall as well?” Claude asked at last. Hilda shook her head.

“I don’t know.” She cried out. Her voice was strangled and tears began to stream down her cheeks. Tears she’d been fighting back since she’d seen Dimitri fall.

“I don’t know.” She repeated. “I…Claude they killed him! Dimitri he was…”

Hilda was crying. He’d teased her just the other week that the only time he’d seen her cry real tears had been over a folk story. She’d huffed. “You won’t think it’s so funny if you catch me crying over something serious.”

She was right.

Hilda buried her face into her gloved hands to smother the sound of her sobs. His chest ached just looking at her.

Byleth looked to him. “…I’m going to gather the others.” She said. “They should know.”

“Give us a minute, Teach. We’ll catch up. Take my wyvern, you’re spent.”

Byleth nodded. His steed was perplexed by the changer in rider, but departed without a fuss at Byleth’s gentle guiding hand. They were left alone now. Hilda was full on weeping now.

“...Come here,” He said. Hilda shook her head, which was still firmly planted in her hands.

“That wasn’t a request, Hilda.” Claude sighed. He pulled her in for a hug before she could protest. She was absolutely tiny compared to him, but that meant it was easier for him to wrap his arms around her. She didn’t react immediately but slowly her hands fell from her face and she blinked back her tears to look up at him.  
Hilda was strong enough to lift an axe like it was nothing, get back up when knocked to the ground, but she had never seemed more fragile to him than she did at this moment. Staring up at him with tears and what little remained of her makeup streaking down her cheeks.

Hilda muffled her next sob into his chest. “It’s not fair.”

“It’s not.” Claude agreed. “Not much is though, Hilda.” He held her for what felt like an eternity while she cried and cried.

He could name dozens of not fair things, if not hundreds. The way people looked at him all his life, whatever it was Rhea had done to Byleth as a child, the way wars played games with commoners’ lives…

But this was definitely at the top of the list. 

“…I’m sorry.” Hilda sniffled. “I should be used to this.”

Claude squeezed her gently. “I’m glad one of us isn’t.” He replied with a mirthless smile.

“I thought I was used to fighting and people getting hurt… and to…things changing but…If the Professor…if someone…If we did something could we have…?” She mumbled. “Could we have stopped this?” Hilda’s voice had regained most of its stability.

He thought on it.

…when had it become too late? Had Dimitri’s fate had been sealed years ago at the battle of Garreg Mach…or was it perhaps even further back than that?

When had it become too late to save the Prince of Faerghus?

“I don’t know.” He leaned his head forward to rest on top of hers. The smell of battle clung to her still, someone’s blood mingled with sweat and grime. “I don’t know, Hilda.”

Claude had no words to make her feel better. He felt the same way she did but he had no tears to shed. If it was because he was incapable or because he refused to he wasn’t sure… Was it his fault? Had he reached out too late for Dimitri?

It wasn’t even fair to say he reached.

Claude’s last conversation with the dead Prince had been a shouting match, Dimtiri’s voice had roared over the sounds of battle and Claude had set his jaw and notched an arrow.

If this is war, than so be it.

There was a low booming sound in the distance. He tensed.

“It’s just thunder.” Hilda mumbled. “It’s okay.” She pressed herself closer against him. Claude tightened his grip around her. It was as much to comfort him as it was to comfort her. To assure himself that she wasn’t gone, that they were both still alive and breathing.

“I was afraid you were dead.” He muttered into her hair.

Claude heard her inhale sharply.

“…sorry.” He said. Claude loosened his hold on her, stepping back a little bit so she could pull herself away from him if he wanted to.

“I shouldn’t admit to that, should I?” He was suddenly aware of how loud his heartbeat sounded. “I couldn’t relax even though we’d won because I didn’t know where were you-“ 

She leaned up and pressed her lips to his, so softly he was certain he imagined it.

“…I don’t plan to die on you any time soon.” Hilda said in a soft voice. “I promise.”

Claude exhaled slowly. He pressed his forehead against hers, closing his eyes as he did so. She stood on her tiptoes to close the height gap between them.

“Can you promise me the same?“ Hilda asked.

“Promise. Not till we’ve won. “

“That’s not good enough for me, Claude. What about after we’ve won? What then? ” Hilda looped her arms around his neck as she spoke, pulling him even closer if such a thing was possible.

“After this is done, you come home with me. “ He reminded her. “Remember?”

Hilda made a sound that was somewhere between a laugh and a sob. “Right, and then?”

“After that…I haven’t got a clue. We can figure it out. We just need to finish what we’ve started and defeat the Empire so people like Dimitri can rest easy again.” 

Softly, just as softly as Hilda had kissed Claude moments prior, the rain started. And just like the kiss had been forgotten, their conversation was too. The pair stopped to look up in surprise as the sky and the darker clouds that were rolling in.

It was like the world had finally come to process what had happened and now was ready to mourn.

“…even the Goddess is crying.” Hilda murmured.

“…We should get going. The others are probably wondering where we are.” He slipped his hand into hers. “Come on.”

“We should bring him back with us.” Hilda said after a moment. “It’s not right to leave him.”

“…will you be okay?” Claude asked, frowning.

Hilda chewed her lip, but nodded. “It won’t be easy but…” She squeezed his hand.

You’re with me this time.

The rain was still light as they walked to where she’d last seen the fallen Prince. They passed some of their soldiers; Claude requested they pass the message along to Byleth, and to fetch a Paladin or someone with a mount. It would make carrying his body back easier. The soldiers cast a curious glance towards Claude and Hilda’s joined hands, but saluted and hurried to fulfill the requests.

It was the strangest thing though, where the Prince should have been there was…nothing but a pool of blood.

…had some retreating Kingdom soldiers taken him? No…that didn’t make sense. The Kingdom’s forces had been mostly decimated in the battle. Any survivors were more likely to be seeking aid or had already turned and fled. After a moment Claude noticed something.

“…there’s a blood trail.” Claude murmured. He pointed with his free hand. “See it? It’ll wash away if we don’t hurry.”

He gripped her hand tightly as another crack of thunder sounded. Claude steeled himself for whatever they might find at the end of it…despite all that had happened what they found made them both stop.

….at the end of that trail they did find Dimitri.

He was not alone. There was a second corpse with his.

It almost looked like a scene from one of the Cathedral’s stained glass windows. The second body belonged to a holy woman, she was sat against a tree, and Dimitri’s head was resting on the woman’s lap. Hilda spoke first. 

“…Mercedes.” Hilda breathed out. “Oh.”

Hilda had known Mercedes better than he had. Claude only knew her in passing, but that somehow made this…sadder. She was a person he may have gotten to know if things had played out differently. Hilda had told him she was kind to a fault and dutiful. It had been something that made Hilda squirm back at the Academy. He also knew she had been good friends with Annette…and that he’d caught Dimitri smiling perhaps a little too broadly after Mercedes had stopped into a House Leader’s meeting to bring him something.

...it could just have easily been them who lay dead in the field in front of Dimitri and Mercedes.

The realization only made him hold onto Hilda’s hand a little tighter. Tears were escaping down her cheeks again, but she stood her ground.

“...We need to end this so they can rest in peace”

Claude knew she was right, and as the rain fell around them, he vowed they would end it together.

**Author's Note:**

> me, on Saturday while sick and playing 3H: *sends Treekianthia Mercedes death quote because i know it will upset her*  
Tree: why are you like this
> 
> skip forward 20 minutes:
> 
> Me: I want to write sad Claude comforting Hilda post Gronder since she breaks down...  
Tree: I want to write Dimitri and Mercedes post Deer Gronder....  
me:...what if....we do both together....haha...unless....
> 
> .... to everyone who left kind fics and kudos on my last ClaudeHilda fic thank you ;o; I'm super shocked that it has so gotten so much attention and everyone's wanted me to do more, I've started and stopped a dozen fics and have half a dozen more I want to do, but what ends up getting finished is really up to my goblin brain. I am so sorry this next one is just super angsty and melodramatic. Once I've gotten to Azure Moon and she's finished Verdant Wind we're going to write a much goofier fic using our two OTPS again. I still haven't picked a Dimitri ship and she still hasn't picked a Claude one but we're enablers to each other lmao. 
> 
> Please go and read Tree's fic too! It's on her profile. She's linked as a co-creator up at the top and there's an inspired by link as well so please share your kindness with her too.

**Works inspired by this one:**

  * [Between the Breath of the Storms: The Calming Rain](https://archiveofourown.org/works/20787521) by [sugarcomatosed](https://archiveofourown.org/users/sugarcomatosed/pseuds/sugarcomatosed), [Treekianthia](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Treekianthia/pseuds/Treekianthia)


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